1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an impact support for reinforcing a door of a motor vehicle, which support can be fastened in the door of the vehicle as a hollow profile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Impact supports serve to secure the passenger compartment of a passenger vehicle in that they reinforce the entire door construction and can accordingly absorb the work of deformation. Since the available installation space is limited, relatively thick-walled bending supports, particularly pipes, are used to achieve the required moment of inertia (U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,883; U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,390). When the installation spaces are very narrow, two bending supports instead of one are arranged one above the other. Alternatively, it is known to use profiles to economize on weight for thick-walled bending supports. These profiles have a center region whose cross-sectional height is always greater that the depth and are arranged in the motor vehicle door in such a way that the depth lies parallel to the direction of impact (DE-PS 37 28 778; DE-OS 41 33 144). These known profiles are not designed in an optimal manner with respect to their cross-sectional profile, weight or moment of inertia. Additionally, the box profiles have a relatively low buckling strength.